Your turn! Go to the Ends of the Earth Got the travel bug? Follow in Matt, Meredith, Ann and Al's footsteps

By Mark Orwoll

TODAY

Matt, Meredith, Ann and Al went to the Ends of the Earth with full crews so they could share their experiences with you. But if their trips have inspired you to do some globe-trotting of your own, you can follow in their footsteps: Mark Orwoll, senior consulting editor of Travel + Leisure magazine, offers tip on how to plan your own vacation to Belize, Iceland, Australia and Mount Kilimanjaro.

BELIZE

Getting there
There are nonstop flights from Dallas, Houston and Miami to Belize City Airport, where you can rent a car (Budget, National, etc.). From New York, airfare now is just under $600. From Chicago, just under $700.

When to go
From November to April, the weather is perfect. You’ll probably want to avoid the wet season, from June to October.

Know before you go
No special vaccinations are required, but be sure your routine shots are up-to-date. Malaria is a slight risk. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention suggests travelers take the anti-malarial chloroquine. Or you can choose to use a bug repellent containing DEET, and in the jungle wear lightweight pants and long-sleeved shirts.

There are few public telephones along the highways, so be sure to pack an international phone or rent a cell phone at the airport in Belize City.

What to see and do
You’ll want to stay in Ambergris Caye, a laid-back island just off the coast from Belize City, with a nice selection of hotels. The Victoria House, a luxury resort there and part of the T+L 500, has rates as low as $155 a night and close to the island’s main town, San Pedro, where you’ll find dive operators to take you to the area’s top attractions: the Blue Hole and Shark-Ray Alley.

• The Blue Hole: Experienced divers shouldn’t miss a day trip to the famous Blue Hole, a nearly perfectly round sinkhole that's 1,000 feet in diameter and some 400 feet deep. You can do a day trip for around $250, including breakfast and lunch and scuba equipment.
  

• Hol Chan and Shark-Ray Alley Marine Reserve: A little closer to Ambergris Cay is a marine reserve called Hol Chan. Its highlight is a cut through the barrier reef, just 25 yards wide and 30 feet deep. As such it attracts an abundance of sea life traveling from the oceanside to the landside of the reef. That in turn has brought divers to this spot, making it one of the most popular dive sites in Belize. You will see an incredible amount of sea life, including nurse sharks and sting rays. Dive trips from Ambergris Cay cost as little as U.S. $50, including your equipment